Age of False Innocence
by Sango-Kadie
Summary: [AU] What if Jack never made it to the party Will had when they first met? Would their friendship be the same? How would they meet?
1. First Meeting

**Title: Age of False Innocence  
Rating: R  
Pairing: Will/Jack**

**This chapter is a bit slow, but it's only to set up later events. This is a Will/Jack fic, so if you have any problems with that, don't read it. Reviews are my air, so please tell me what you think!**

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_Maybe I'm crazy, maybe I'm sane  
Maybe I need to go away, start over again  
But if I went away, I'd be afraid I should have stayed  
Maybe I'm afraid that maybe I love you_

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**The bitter cold was rough against Will's chest. He coughed harshly and felt his breath dissolve around him in the cold air. And it was only growing more brutal by the second. The neighborhood was being blanketed by the hazy sky, and a light sheath of snow covered the ground. The crunching of the partially frozen puddles on the ground crunched under his feet, and instantly broke the stunning silence around the collage campus.**

**The envelopes in his hand struggled against his fingers, attempting to break free. But Will held them tightly; there was no way the invitations for his party were going to get ruined. Not when He had worked all night getting them just perfect.**

**"Please Will," Rob had mocked me before he left to deliver them. "You can hardly stay up past eight thirty as it is. Why do the invites say it starts at ten? And who gives out invitations to a collage party?"**

**He just ran out of there as fast as he could, saying he had to go hand them out. Something like that. Will didn't want to talk much about it. He already got enough comments about not being cool enough as it is. It's been that way for as long as he could remember, even since elementary school. **

**A breeze swept through the neighborhood, and held his jacket closed around him. He shuffled through the invitations, looking at the names printed neatly on the outsides of them. He had one for his friends Joe and Larry, one for Rob's girlfriend, Ellen, his own girlfriend Grace, and a couple of other people he had seen around campus. There were even a few unmarked envelopes just in case someone else wanted an invitation.**

**Grace would be so thrilled to go. He was glad, she needed to get out and meet new people. He did too, the only friends he had met since enrolling in Columbia was her and Rob. Joe and Larry were friends too, but they were usually too drunk to hold a conversation with. And Ellen was a friend of Grace's.**

**Man, I really need to meet someone else. Everyone here is so nice, but I'm so boring. I need a change. I need---**

**"Hey! Watch out!"**

**A voice came out of nowhere, shattering Will's train of thought. He looked up perfunctorily and noticed someone on a bike headed right for him.**

**He jumped out of the of the fast-approaching bicycle. While doing so, the invitations slipped out of his hand and scattered onto the ground, landing a few inches next to a puddle. **

**"Oh my God! No!" Will jumped for them, saving them before they could get dirty. A few others lay all over the place, and he worked fast to get them up. **

**"Oh, sorry about that. Here, let me help you."**

**It was the boy on the bicycle. Will looked up to scold him, but stopped. The boy stood above him, his helmet cradled in his arms. He looked young; he couldn't have gone to the collage. His dark brown hair, almost black, stood up in all directions, making him look even younger. Will noticed how pale and smooth his skin looked in contrast to the winter environment surrounding them. When he smiled, Will saw that his teeth were clad with braces, and just the sight of them gave him the impression that this boy was nowhere near his age.**

**The boy noticed Will staring at him and gasped. He took a little mirror out of his pocket and glanced into it nervously. "Oh man. I hate helmet hair. You must think I'm some kind of animal!" He let out a high pitched giggle and ran a hand through his dark-brown locks, trying to get the pieces in the back to lie straight.**

**Will came out of the haze the accident had brought him into and narrowed his eyes. He frowned and put his hands on his hips. "Are you going to help me or not?"**

**The young one snapped the mirror shut and stared at Will; his eyes wide. "Sure, sure. Keep your pants on. I'll help."**

**Straightening his clothes and smoothing his jeans of any wrinkles, the boy began to brush non-existent particles of dust off of his clothes. He ran his fingers over his eyebrows and adjusted his jacket. Will was not amused. **

**"Come on already!" he yelled, causing the boy to jump.**

**"Fine. You don't have to yell you know. Don't be so uptight."**

**With that, the two men began to pick up the invitations. Will let out an irritated sigh every time he saw a piece of dirt or melted snow on the envelopes. The boy helping him held up and envelope and smiled. "Are you having a kid's birthday party or something?" he asked humorously, raising his eyebrows.**

**Will rolled his eyes. That was exactly what Rob had said. "No." he pressed. "In fact, that's far from the truth. I'm hosting my first collage party tonight."**

**With a smug smile on his face, Will bent down to pick up more invitations. As he was doing this, he could feel the younger one's eyes on him. And Will didn't like where those eyes were looking.**

**"What are you looking at?" he said accusingly, jumping up and turning suddenly.**

**"Oh, nothing. So, your first collage party? And you're hosting? Well, I guess that's appropriate. Our kind is always the best for hosting, you know?"**

**"What are you talking about?" Will asked, bothered. **

**Jack smiled wide and gave out a giddy laugh. His cheeks turned pink as another gust of wind passed by them. "Oooh." he said flirtatiously, "I guess you don't know, then."**

**"Don't know what?" Will's eyes narrowed at the boy, obviously annoyed. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he was also intrigued. This boy was unlike anyone he had ever met, and he was curious to what he might say next.**

**"Oh, nothing. By the way, what's your name?"**

**"Will. Will Truman," he responded, stretching out his hand for the boy to shake it. "And you are...?"**

**The boy's eyes brightened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pink business card. "The name's Jack McFarland," he said enthusiastically, shoving the card into Will's outstretched hand. "Since nineteen sixty-nine," he added cheerily.**

**Will rolled his eyes and looked at the card. He noticed there was something at the bottom, probably recently added. **

**"Out since 1985?" he wondered aloud. **

**Jack smiled and responded enthusiastically. "You got that right," he winked, making Will's cheeks blush and him feel slightly uncomfortable.**

**The young man took an unmarked envelope off of the ground and regarded it closely. "You know what? I might just go to this party of yours. I'll make sure it isn't such a total drag," he smiled, nodding his head. "Is that okay with you?"**

**The look in his eyes told Will that he would be coming whether he wanted to or not, but he looked uncertain. "I don't know, Jack. These people aren't really the most open-minded one's you'll find."**

**"Oh, you mean like you are?" he raised an eyebrow and smirked. **

**Will furrowed his eyes and sighed irritably. "Come on, I'm not that—"**

**"Of course you're not," Jack interrupted, stuffing the invitation in his back pocket. "I'll see you tonight, ok sweetie?" he said, smirking again at Will.**

**Will watched as he stuck the helmet back on his head and pedaled away silently, looking back one more time to show off his marvelous grin. **

**Will looked on, shaking his head. _That kid was weird. And just what on Earth was he talking about? 'Our kind of people? What the hell does that mean?_**

**He just shrugged it off. He had to get ready for the party. He didn't want to think about it.**

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**

**  
As Will walked down the street, He couldn't help but grow hot at the remembrance of that night's events. How could he ever even think that he could throw a decent party? Even with his fucking mothers help, no one would come and have a good time. Why did he ever think it would be different on his own?**

**The weather was as dismaying as ever, but Will still felt his hands sweating under the mittens covering his hands. Tears froze on his cheeks, and He brushed them away immediately. The only thing worse than people thinking He was a dull loser was them seeing him cry. As Rob would say, Will would be 'acting like a faggot.' And there was no way He was going to act like that. No way.**

**He yawned through the hurt he was feeling, and found himself laughing hysterically. His giggles echoed across the empty neighborhood, and he had to slow down to catch his breath. Rob was right; he did get really tired late at night.**

**The darkness of the night was almost unbearable. The silence alone was enough to make him try and pull his hair out by the roots. Why did everything have to be so damn quiet around here? It was so frustrating, especially since his thoughts were echoing louder than if they were being said through loudspeakers.**

_**What were you thinking, Truman? A party? No one around here even knows you exist. Why would you ever consider throwing a party? **_

**He sighed and tried to forget all that happened. It wasn't that bad; everyone was just so bored out of their minds that they left as soon as the beer was gone. Who was he kidding? It was horrible. All that consoled him was the fact that it was over. **

**Grace even left. She said that she was going to go and pack. In a way, Will was glad. Though he loved her more than he had loved any girl, she always made him so nervous. And Rob said he was spending the night over at Ellen's dorm room, so he would have the place to himself for the night.**

**The silence of the night was overbearing. It almost rained down on him just how quiet everything was. There was no breeze, and the snow didn't make a sound as it fell to the ground softly. No birds flew in the sky, and there were seemingly no people around for miles. **

**At least that one boy wasn't there, he thought to himself. I don't even remember what the hell his name was, but if he was there I probably would've killed him. He's so fucking annoying, and that's the last thing I need right now. **

**But still, there was something inside him that was nagging him, like there was something he knew that he was keeping from Will. He seemed to be snickering at him, or silently mocking him. And it wasn't like what other people did. **

**Other people were so open with how they thought about him. They thought that he was boring, obsessive-compulsive; he never heard the end of it. But with that boy, it was like there was something missing. Something that he didn't want to know.. Something that he wasn't entirely sure of..**

**_What the hell are you talking about?_ Will asked himself, smiling slightly. _You have no idea, do you?_**

**"Nope," he spoke aloud to no one. He was about to turn back, when he heard a noise. Someone whimpering near him. The light was scarce, but Will dropped to the ground, feeling around him, trying to find the source of the noise. It only grew stronger as he crawled forward more. **

**A small yelp sounded a few feet to his left, and he felt his leg hit something. Something soft and fleshy, like a body. There, lying in the middle of the street, loosely covered in clothes too baggy for him, was a boy, covered in blood and scrapes all over his arms. Will gasped, surprised that he didn't have a coat on. It was winter, and nearly twenty degrees out.**

**Will took off his own jacket, gasping slightly because of the cold air on his skin. He covered the body with it, trying to keep him warm. He saw in the dim light protruding from the light post above him, he saw the boys face, a gash on his forehead, beads of blood dripping down. Will looked at him closer, the boy did seem vaguely familiar...**

**"Jack?"**


	2. A New Friend

**Age of False Innocence**

**Chapter Two**

**Warning: this chapter contains a shit-load of fluff. Which is what I love, so yeah. P. Remember to review!**

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**Will looked down at the body of the young man sleeping soundly on his bed. There were two bruises covering his cheeks, and his forehead was swollen with blood. Will had managed to clean the majority of it off, but there was still a crimson tint on the boy's pale forehead.**

**It's a good thing I was walking past him Will thought, still gazing at Jack from the chair nearest to his closet. He might have been there for hours before anyone even looked at him.**

**There were scrapes covering Jack's body, and Will suspected that his arm might be sprained or broken. He would have to take him to the doctor's as soon as he woke up to get it checked out. He was actually surprised at himself. He should have gotten him to a hospital right away, but something told him he wouldn't appreciate walking up in the middle of the morning in a hospital room.**

**He glanced awkwardly at Jack once more, unsure of what to do. I mean, what would you do if you had someone you hardly knew in your bed, sleeping and bleeding on your new 400 thread count sheets? **

**Just then, Jack stirred and let out a groan. "Jesus Peter, Paul, and Mary, where am I?" He asked, putting a hand to his aching head and surveying his surroundings. Will let out a little laugh. That was almost exactly the response he had expected.**

**Jack turned to face him, and even through the pain coursing through his body, he gave a little smirk. "So, you wanted me in your bed after all, right? You didn't have to kidnap me in order to get me here. I thought you knew that. I mean, when I talked to you on the street today, I had no idea that I was with a psycho!"**

**Will rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I didn't kidnap you. I found you while walking down the street tonight. You were covered in blood. Did something happen?"**

**A moment passed, with Jack just staring unbelievably at Will. His eyes opened wide, and his mouth dropped open slightly. His face changed from shocked, to confused, to horrified in a matter of seconds, then swiftly transformed into his usual sarcastic grin. **

"**Must've fallen or something. I just got these shoes today and they are a little big on me. But aren't they just _fabulous? _I got them for a steal over in the boutique on 61st street! Great, right?" he asked, tilting his head and smiling. Will hesitated before nodded, wondering just what the heck _that_ was about. There seemed to be a far away look in jack's eyes; he almost looked sad. **

"**I don't know, it must have been a pretty nasty fall. You look like you got hit by a car or something."**

**Jack turned away, getting defensive. "Well if I did, then I don't remember. Just drop it, okay?"**

"**Your arm looks pretty bad. It might be sprained or even broken. We should take you to the hospital and get it checked out."**

**Jack's eyes grew wide. "I don't think so. I mean, why would you want to waste your time over someone like me? And I don't have any money, you'd have to pay for it. And plus, my arm is fine. There's nothing wrong with it!" He shook his arm to illustrate his point, than brought it close to his chest, wincing in pain.**

**Will couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Yeah, that looks just fine."**

"**Shut up", Jack spoke irritably. **

"**It's fine you know. I'll get you to the hospital, have it checked out, I'll pay for it. And then when I drop you off at your house, your parents can pay me back." Will got up from his chair and grabbed his jacket. "Come on now. We're going."**

**Jack didn't move, but instead looked down to the ground, not saying a word. After a long pause, he finally whispered, "No way I'm going back there."**

**Before Will had a chance to think of his response or ask why, the phone rang at the other side of the dorm, shattering the awkward silence. Will walked up to get it. "Are you sure you can shut up enough to let me answer this? You don't have to go out do you? I left the leash outside."**

**Jack made a face and stuck out his tongue, then flopped back on the bed, grimacing in pain as he did so. Though Will was cracking jokes, he was actually very concerned. Jack wasn't annoying, really. He just seemed to like the attention. He was kind of funny, actually.**

**Snapping his attention from Jack to the phone, he picked it up and answered in a slightly shaky voice, "hello?"**

"_**Will? Where are you? I've been waiting for you for half an hour! Have you packed yet? Do you need to have me go over there and so it for you? I knew I should have done it before. I'm sorry, I'll just go over there and we'll be—"**_

"**Grace!" Will interrupted, holding a hand to his forehead. Shit. He totally forgot that he was supposed to go up with her to her parents house that week to meet them. He gave an apprehensive look in Jack's direction. The teenager was laying with his head haphazardly arranged on Will's pillow. A few stray hairs were venturing towards his eyes, making him look even younger. He gazed back at Will, giving a little smile, as if he knew who was on the other line.**

**_Fuck you. _Will thought irritably. _Why do you have to look so cute and innocent like that? It'll be like kicking a puppy out._**

"**_Will?" _Grace asked at the other end of the line. She sounded impatient.**

"**Sweetie, I can't make it. There's something that came up," he said quietly, bracing himself for a surplus of questions that were sure to come his way. Jack smirked at him and turned around.**

"**_what do you mean? Are you hurt? Do I need to go over there? Are you sure everything is okay? Why aren't you talking?"_**

"**Grace," he assured her, ignoring Jack. "Everything is fine. I'm not hurt and nothing's wrong. I just need to stay here for a couple of days. It's a long story, I'll explain everything to you later."**

**After many more minutes of reassuring, Will hung up the phone exhaustedly. He loved the girl, but sometimes she could drive Will up a wall. When he turned back to the bed, Jack was still smiling at him with his hand over his mouth, as if he was trying to stifle laughter. **

"**What?" he asked crossly, sitting on the couch on the other side of the room.**

**Jack cleared his throat. "Your boyfriend sounds like a real bitch."**

**Taken aback, Will blinked a few times before responding. "What! I don't have a boyfriend! I'm not gay! That was my _girlfriend_ on the phone."**

**He knew Jack didn't believe it, but it _was_ the truth. "Mmm, sure Will. You're as straight as I am."**

"**Jack," Will began, somehow knowing that there was probably no use to this. "Just because you have the urge to jump at everything with a penis does not make me automatically gay."**

"**How do you know I'm gay?" Jack asked playfully. "You just met me today. Why would you assume such things?"**

"**Stop trying to change the subject. And anyone would know you're gay. Which I am not. I mean, this is the first time someone has even mentioned the word 'gay' in my presence."**

**Jack snickered. "Yeah, to your face. But what about all of the rumors on campus?"**

**Will felt his stomach drop, and his face turn red. He knew that people said some nasty things about him before. That he was boring, or overbearing, or a controlling nightmare. But this was the first he had heard of people calling him gay behind his back.**

"**They say I'm gay?" he asked, feeling confused and hurt. He knew he wasn't the most popular student at Columbia. Hell, most of the student body didn't even know he existed. So why would they say things about him?**

**Jack noticed the hurt in Will's eyes and seemed to soften a bit. Maybe he knew what it was like, people talking shit behind his back because of how he acted. Jack knew that feeling all too well. He was only grateful for the day before when it let out for Winter break. **

"**Look, there's no shame in it, Will", he replied, getting off of the bed with a contortion and walking over to him. "It's just who you are. I mean, I know who I am, and look at how happy I am!"**

**Jack place his hand on Will's shoulder, and gazed down at him. Will felt a tingle move down his arm, and he shuddered at Jack's touch. He was scared to look up at him, partly because he was very close—too close. He closed his eyes and took a breath, shaking his head and standing up quickly. Shit, he was hard. **

"**No, I'm not gay," he said with a half-hearted laugh, shaking Jack's hand off of him. Looking at Jack's face, he saw how the abrasions on his face took a lot away from his youthful good looks. He had only small scrapes on his forehead and cheeks, but there were certain places where the skin had been completely rubbed off from the road. Will instantly felt sorry again. But he still felt uncomfortable. He was only grateful that Jack didn't see anything.**

**He cleared his throat and motioned to the bed. "You better go and lie down. You still look pretty banged up. I'll take you home later."**

"**I told you, I'm not going back there." Jack said strongly. He looked hard into Will's eyes, letting him know he was completely serious.**

**Will rolled his eyes and gave a heavy sigh. But looking into Jack's eyes, he knew it was for a good reason. He could tell Jack was the type of person who was only serious when it had to do with something important.**

"**Fine," he gave in, grabbing a blanket for him. "Do you have school or anything? I don't have to do anything do I?"**

**Jack smiled happily and shook his head. "Nope. You won't even know I'm here!"**

**Will prepared a bed for himself with blankets and pillows on the couch to sleep for the night. Somehow, he didn't think that was quite true.**

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"**Jack, stop it already. I told you, that's not a salesperson, it's a mannequin!" **

"**Chill out. Someone desperately needs to give this girl some fashion tips and hair extensions, stat!"**

**Will would've buried his head in his hands, if they weren't already filled with bags full of clothes and a present for Grace and her family. Will thought it would be a nice gesture, since he couldn't make it up there to meet them. Due to…a certain annoying something that needed his attention.**

**Jack wasn't that bad, he had deduced. He just acted out in public. When it was just the two of them alone, he was a lot quieter, and more reserved. Until he opened his mouth, that is. Once he got that thing open, it was hard getting it to shut again. Will was getting better at shutting out the criticism, though. They had been a dynamic duo for less than three days now, Will was getting used to the kid. It seemed deadly silent without him there.**

**A handful of energy, Jack bounded up to him and wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you for the sweater, William. I love it," he said playfully, kissing Will on the cheek. Will made a face and turned away.**

"**Please. Stop doing that. It was nothing, really. It was in your size, and on sale. Plus, since you refuse for whatever reason, not to go back to your house where you belong, I had no choice but get you something."**

**It was Jack's turn to make a face this time. "Shut up Will, if you get any more wound up, you'll burst out of those pants of yours." **

**He tickled Will's sides, making the older man dissolve into giggles and almost drop the bags he was carrying. "Stop doing that or I'll tie you up in the backyard and make you sleep outside tonight! And I'm not fat, so don't start that up again." **

**They walked down the crowded New York streets, Jack following Will closely, almost skipping down the sidewalks. It amazed Will how much energy this kid had. It was pretty fucking infectious too, because Will felt himself walking a little faster and smiling a little brighter. It took him a minute to realize Jack was smiling at him.**

"**What?" he asked, still grinning as he walked.**

**Jack hesitated for a minute, and then opened his mouth. "You are just SO GAY."**

**Will's face contorted angrily, and Jack backed away slightly, like Will was about to smack him across the face. But he held back and spoke as calmly as he could. "We've already gone through this several times, Jack. No matter how much you wish and dream in that crazy head of yours, I am NOT gay. I'm sorry. I know you're disappointed and all, but it really will be ok. Here, do you need a shoulder to cry on?"**

**Only the faintest of smirks graced Jack's face before transforming into a genuine smile. He simply walked ahead, softly humming to himself as he moved.**

**The walk home was pleasant, now that both of them were silently thinking, side by side, both in their own worlds. It was like they had met a long time ago, like they had been friends for years. They passed by a sandwich shop, and Will only had to jerk his head towards it for Jack to get the message and walk inside of it.**

**They got their food and sat at the table in a secluded corner near the restrooms. The only light came from the faint afternoon sunshine showing from the window next to them. It was a cloudy day, and a lot colder than usual. Jack reached into Will's bag and took out his sweater, wrapping it around himself to illustrate the point.**

**When they got home, they got into the usual positions; Will on the couch, and Jack on the bed. Jack still hadn't explained to Will why he didn't go home, but they eventually came to an agreement: Jack would stay for the two weeks of Winter Break, and then when school was back in session, he would go back home. Will asked himself constantly why he was bothering to do this; after all, he hardly even remembered the kid's last name. Then he realized if it wasn't for him, Jack probably wouldn't have gotten hurt. He was going to Will's stupid party, after all. Now he was stuck with him.**

**Will reminded himself that he didn't have to do that. He could just kick Jack out and never see him again. He would feel no remorse or regret, because Jack had a home, even if it wasn't a really good one, and he wouldn't get hurt again. But then Jack would flash him a dazzling smile to himself, at least and that would be the end of that.**

**Even though Jack was annoying, superficial, flamboyant, and every synonym of bitchy you could find in a thesaurus, Will felt for him. Apparently, his home life wasn't the best, and he had almost gotten killed. Even though the fat jokes and the accusations of being gay were getting really old really fast, it was still his responsibility to make sure he was ok.**

**_i Are you kidding me/i _A voice spoke bitterly in the back of his mind, i _You OWE it to him? He's your RESPONSIBILITY? You don't even know this kid! And it's not your fault that he got hit by whateverthefuck he got hit by. Your only responsibility is to yourself. Forget about him. And if he makes one more comment about you being gay, hit the shit out of him._**

"**_I'm not gay though/i _he replied back, i _and it is kind of my fault. If I hadn't of run into him, he wouldn't of gotten hurt. And he is kind of nice. It is pretty cool having someone to chat with while Grace is gone and Rob is over at Ellen's."_**

_**Will! Listen to yourself! The whole reason you're not with Grace is because of this kid! And I don't need to remind you of exactly WHY Rob nearly ran out of the dorm like there was a fire/i **_

**Will nearly laughed out loud, but caught himself. It was pretty funny how Jack nearly chased Rob out of there by remarking about just how adorable he looked in his tight sweatpants. All Will could remember was Rob grabbing all the stuff he could out of his bedroom and the bathroom and running out of there as fast as he could while yelling out that he would be staying at Ellen's for the week.**

**Will had been furious at Jack then, but he could understand the humor in it all. Jack was just being Jack. He hadn't hurt anyone. **

"**Umm…Will? Are you okay? You look like you're talking to yourself?"**

**Jack's voice sounded like a horn, breaking though Will's thoughts. He thought it might've looked pretty strange to Jack, Will going back and forth inside his mind like that.**

"**Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to sleep," he whispered, turning on his side and closing his eyes.**

"'**Kay. Night, Will."**

"**Goodnight Jack."**

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	3. The Realization

**Age Of False Innocence**

**Chapter Three**

**Summary: Will is feeling some strange feelings, and Jack is causing them. Meanwhile, Jack tries to make Will jealous, and succeeds.**

**Warnings: Contains some mature themes, but nothing too bad ;D.**

_**What is that sound  
Running round my head  
Funny I thought  
That part was long since dead  
But now there's new life  
Coursing through my veins  
Because there's someone  
Who'll make it beat again**_

**There were many feelings that Will had felt in his life. Not many of them were really good. In fact, the majority of them had been just the opposite. But none of them actually physically hurt him. Even through his awkward teenage high school years, he had managed to get through them unscathed for the most part.**

**Though he was teased through most of high school; he wasn't a complete outcast. He had the normal group of friends who he talked to, both boys and girls. While they talked about which cheerleader was the biggest whore; who would fuck you and who would settle with just a blowjob, Will always hung back from those types of conversations. No one gave him a second look.**

**He did have a girlfriend in high school. Claire had been great, and the relationship seemed perfect, only it wasn't. His heart wasn't in it. He blamed it on himself and his ever-changing hormones. He was still a virgin, which didn't fend too well in a collage environment. Columbia wasn't much of a party school, but there were still a lot of activities going on outside campus. Will knew of a few parties going on just so people could hook up. He didn't know if that's what actually happened during them, as he never attended.**

**But there was a new feeling fighting it's way inside of him, and what ever it was, he didn't like it one bit. It seemed to eat away at him constantly, and often made him feel uncomfortable. And it always seemed to happen around Jack.**

**He wasn't the least bit homophobic, so he knew it had nothing to do with how flamboyant and touchy-touchy Jack seemed around him. And it wasn't attraction; he knew what that felt like. Or, he had a pretty good idea. No, this was different, and Will didn't know quite what it was. He only knew that it hurt. It made him want to burst out into tears, grab the nearest pillow and never venture out of bed.**

**Will had never been the spying type, but there he was, staring out of the foggy window, watching closely as Jack chatted on the sidewalk with a student on campus; a freshman like himself. Only this freshmen wasn't like him at all. This one was outgoing and good looking; and stood leaning against the lamppost confidently, tossing back his shaggy brown hair. Jack smiled up at him brazenly, his fingers slightly hooked on the guys belt loops, trying to pull him closer.**

**Rolling his eyes, but hanging back, Will smiled feebly at the display. Jack looked at him somewhat like that, but this was the first time Will actually noticed the difference. With him, it was childish and playful, with batted eyelashes and big cheesy smiles; it was a joke, basically. But with this random person, it was real pure animal attraction, with shameless, raspy whispers and bold looks. **

**Jack might have only been in high school, but he sure knew when and how to switch gears. If Will didn't know any better, he would've sworn that an experienced, intrepid man had taken his place. **

**And then, there was the feeling. He turned off the light near the window and glared at the sidewalks, not knowing quite why he was doing this. The feeling was digging deep inside of him, like a monster waiting to emerge. It's was different, and Will did NOT like it. He tore his eyes away from the two men on the sidewalk, just before they pulled together and their lips met aggressively.**

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**Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw the light of the third floor dorm flick off, and he caught a glimpse of a worried Will looking at him through the window. Jack smiled brighter, turning his attention back to the boy in front of him. The guy had mentioned his name, but Jack made no effort trying to remember it. He knew it wouldn't matter much.**

"**So, do you go to this school?" The stranger asked, leaning against the street sign more, crossing his hands into his pockets. Jack's own hands were placed firmly on the guys waist, moving closer every minute. He leaned in a few inches, keeping his show up for his audience above.**

"**I do, actually," Jack lied, wrapping his arms around the guy, clasping his hands behind his back. "Do you?"**

"**Yeah. Dorm 5A."**

**A smile crossed Jack's face as their faces closed in very close to each others. Jack could smell the faint mint smell from the boy's gum he had spit out earlier, and Jack leaned into the guy's embrace, feeling eyes on his back as he smiled at the thought of Will up in the dorm.**

"**Why don't you show me it?" Jack whispered in a raucous voice before they kissed fervently. Jack felt the stranger turn him around so his back was pressed into the sign, and he closed his eyes as he let the familiar emotions take him over once again. He was used to this, but he felt something else this time. Knowing that Will was watching him made him work with extra enthusiasm. He placed his hands near the hem of the boys shirt, lifting it up so he could feel the hot, smooth skin underneath.**

**Jack opened his eyes and looked above to catch Will's reaction, only to be greeted by an empty window. He pulled away from the intense kiss and frowned slightly, but recovered quickly. He grabbed onto the boy's wrist and pulled gently, heading into the direction of the stairs.**

"**Come on," he ordered, his voice breaking a bit, but not enough to be noticeable. "Show me where it is."**

* * *

**Will wasn't sure where the pain was coming from, or what caused it. He just knew that whenever Jack was around, it happened. But it was never when it was just the two of them, alone. Which made it all the more confusing.**

**_You're just protective of him, that's all, _he thought to himself, sitting Indian-style on the couch, leaning back and staring at the ceiling. _There are real creeps out there, and he could get hurt. You feel responsible, so you don't want that to happen._**

"**_Why though?" _he responded, giving out a great sigh, "_I hardly know him. It's been five days. I've never been so invested in a person in only five days."_**

_**You've also never almost killed someone before.**_

**Will knew it was an accident. He knew that if Jack had gotten hit, it wasn't because of him. He knew that shit like this sometimes just happened. He couldn't control any of it, but he still felt guilty.**

**He took another quick glance out the window. Jack and the collage student were gone. Will's brows furrowed and he flopped on the bed. Sighing to himself, he wondered what it was they were doing. He smiled and thought it might be obvious. **

**The thought of Jack and this kid fucking in some random dorm was a little too unpleasant to think about. Still, the thoughts kept swirling around his head. Jack probably was the one who initiated it. That was evident. They had probably gone to the guys dorm, with Jack leading the way, of course. As much as Jack thought he was though, Will was most certain once the guy got into it, Jack would lay off. He initiated and struck—and then let everyone else take it from there.**

**His smile disappeared, and he lay on the bed for a while, not wanting to think about anything. **

**

* * *

**

**Just like when Jack wasn't in a situation like this, he never seemed to know whether to be dominant or submissive. One moment, he was quiet and still, the back of his head pressing into the soft pillow below him, whimpering under the boy's hands. Then, in a moment of aggression, he would roll over, pinning the guy onto the bed and pulling him into a searing kiss.**

**But no matter how invested he was into what he was doing; he couldn't help thinking about the person he had been doing this for in the first place.**

**There are times in your life when you know you want something, Jack thought, and it isn't like when you were younger, begging your mother to buy you that toy you've wanted ever since you were practically born. It's so much stronger then that. **

**It's so strong, that with everyday you pass without it, you can feel the need shooting through your veins; it's making you so sick you can't even see straight. You're contaminated with it, and you want it so fucking much, but when you don't get it, and you know you never will, the feeling doesn't subside. It's still there; still haunting you, and you want it to go away, but it just stays there, and you can feel it growing even more prominent inside you.**

**Will. The name alone was enough to make him clutch his stomach and hope he never saw his face again. But when he did, it was all he needed, all he thought about, and he thrived off of it. And sometimes, he thought he saw something. One thing that sparkled in Will's eyes, and made Jack wonder if he felt the same way about him too. **

**Jack could still remember back when he was thirteen years old. He had his first crush on a boy. Larry Chanders. He had the most penetrating brown eyes, and the softest touch Jack had ever felt. And he was so comforting and welcoming, Jack felt as if he would never, ever hurt him.**

**He made the incredibly stupid and reckless mistake of telling Larry about these feelings he was having as soon as he was certain of them, and received a massive punch in the face in return. It had hurt him so badly, both inside and out, but he knew that Will could hurt him so much more to him then just break his face and his heart. It would break _him_. His soul, his spirit, everything that made him.**

**People had always said that if you really loved someone, you would know right away, and boy, did Jack know it. He couldn't forget it, because he was reminded of it every time Will ran a hand through his messed up hair, hoping that everything would fall back into place and look better, when in fact it made it worse. Every time he was sleeping, and Will looked so peaceful and untouched, as apposed to the tensing shoulders and nervous grimace he wore when he was awake. **

**And Jack was reminded of it especially when Will would casually drape his arm around his chair at the movies, and instead let it just rest on Jack's shoulders. But Jack knew better. Will kept on convincing himself he wasn't gay, and was currently eye-deep in denial. He was scared. He was fucking terrified. **

**The last thing he needed if he ever did admit the truth to himself and came out, was a relationship. Jack was aware of it, and he fucking hated it. But he would wait by himself until he was ready. Until he needed Jack. That was all he could do until that point. Offer help and wait until he was ready.**

**This kid wasn't bad looking at all. In most ways, he could be considered beautiful. But in place of his bright green eyes, Jack could only see hazel. It was as if the blond hair the guy had turned dark brown in front of his eyes, and Jack was almost frightened by the change.**

**i _This is it._ /i He thought while under the stranger's strong body. _I have officially gone crazy._**

**Even so, he continued his ministrations, closing his eyes and bracing himself as the boy entered him slowly. A heavy rain had begun to fall, and though Will was away from him, he was the closest thing to Jack's mind.**

* * *

**It was getting late, and Will was sti****ll in the same spot on the bed, lying and thinking about nothing in particular. Well, one thing in particular.**

**It was strange, and it seemed wrong to be this worried about Jack. He was never worried when Grace would go out, though he knew she wasn't doing anything like Jack was doing now. It was weird and not like him at all, and he hated it. **

**A clicking sound came from the front of the room, followed by the revolution of a door handle. Will drew the covers on his bed up to his chin and softened his breathing. He really didn't want to deal with Jack at that moment, but he was relieved he was home.**

**Jack stood in the warm hallway light and shut the door behind him. Raindrops gathered in clusters in his hair, framing his face. He smiled brightly, his jacket clutched tightly to his chest as the cold air cooled on his body. He saw Will on the bed but ignored him and crossed the room. He seemed to be sleeping, anyhow.**

**Will was unsure of how to feel and what to say. What was he supposed to do? Giggle emphatically and wink at him, or berate him with a scolding look and asking, "Did you use protection?"**

**He shut his eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep as jack crossed the room, humming to himself and throwing his jacket onto the arm of the couch. There was a fair amount of silence and shuffling on the floor ahead of him, before Will dared to open his eyes just a little bit; peering from under the sheet bunched near his hands.**

**He saw Jack with his arms raised over his head, in the middle of peeling off his damp, tight t-shirt off of his body. He tossed the shirt into a corner of the room, and stood there in only his jeans. His hair, still damp from the bad weather outdoors, had gotten mussed up in the back from the shirt, making him look older and more rugged.**

**Jack moved his hands to the button of the jeans, unhooking them and sliding the zipper down slowly. Will's eyes got wider, and his heart beat a little faster (mostly from the fear of getting caught), but he stayed put, gripping the edge of the sheet tighter in his hands.**

**Jack slid easily out of the jeans, and he stood there for a second, running his fingers along the elastic waistband of his white boxer-briefs, a considerable bulge pressing against the soft cotton.**

**Will held his breath and shut his eyes as the boxer briefs came off. He waited in the dark until he heard Jack's body flop onto the couch, and opened his eyes to find Jack there, fully clothed and snuggling into the pillow that laid there.**

**Will let out the breath gradually, his heart slowing. He felt a weird tingling feeling in his legs and reached down, his fingers curling over his firm erection.**

**Fuck.**

**A voice broke the long silence as Jack called to him, making him nearly jump out of his skin. "Nighty night, Will," he exclaimed, a smile apparent in his voice, and Will stopped to wonder whether this was all planned.**

**Will didn't answer. He turned around in his bed, concealing his face in his sheets.**

**It was hard to get to sleep that night.**

* * *

R&R please!

Next chapter: Will continues to fight his feelings about Jack, and finds it harder than he realized.

Hope you enjoyed ;D


	4. A Change of Heart

Chapter Summary: Will and Jack go out, and the aftermath brings on a change of heart in Will. R&R!

_If I told you a secret  
You won't tell a soul  
Will you hold it and keep it alive  
Cause it's burning a hole  
And I can't get to sleep  
And I can't live alone in this lie _

* * *

It was Friday morning, and Will was late for class.

Not just late, but so incredibly, unbelievably late, that he wasn't entirely sure he would make it for the class at all. He remembered waking up and looking at the wall clock above his bed, and it glowed and screamed at him through the dim room, "WAKE UP, TRUMAN. FIFTEEN MINUTES UNTIL CLASS IS OVER."

Normally, he wouldn't be bothered with it. It was a fairly easy class, and he could just get the notes and homework from another person in the class. Then it would be all right and he wouldn't have to worry.

But it wasn't just a regular class then.

Will ran through the campus, a self-created breeze whistling through his ears as he rushed to the south building, nearly knocking over several people in the attempt. He lifted his legs high, trying to step through the snow and slush covering the grass. His pants were soaked around his ankles, he was red in the face, and he was huffing like a wolf trying to blow a house down, but finally, he made it.

His professor was waiting for him at the door, not looking too happy. A strict frown was fixed on his face, and he held a red sheet of paper in his hand that made Will hang his head.

"You're late, Truman," he spoke, holding out the piece of paper to Will and crossing his arms. "The exam is over. Looks like you'll have to take the class over next semester."

A dejected look passed through Will's eyes, and he started babbling worthless excuses. "Professor, I swear, I overslept! I had no idea I was going to be this late, and I would have called, but I just ran ten minutes straight just to get over here, and I'm all ready for it, please? Can we reschedule or something? Is there anything I can do? I need to pass this class! I can't do it another semester, I have to get my credits for this year…"

"Sorry, William," the teacher said, with a specially cruel gleam in his eyes, like he was enjoying this.

"Fuck", he muttered under his breath, walking across the crisp slush covering the ground, making his way back to the dorm. It was no use trying to argue. Will would never win. He would just have to take the class over again next semester, and hope that his alarm didn't suddenly decide to stop working again.

Jack hadn't been in the room when he woke up, though he heard the familiar sounds of water droplets hitting the shower floor. There had been some other sounds, ones he was also familiar with but didn't want to think about. He really didn't imagine that Jack would bring home a random guy around him, so that left only one other option, and he willed himself to stop thinking about it.

Couples were scattered around the campus, walking through the sunlight bathed streets around the university grounds. Some of them Will recognized, and gladly waved to, his spirits uplifting just a bit.

"Will!"

He turned around to a whirlwind of toxicated laughs and hugs. Joe and Larry had spotted and ambushed him, and took turns jumping around, making hooting noises that reverberated through the air. Will let out a groan.

"Not now, you guys. It's way too early," he warned, rubbing his forehead jadedly and realizing just how tired he was. Joe and Larry were a couple, and two of the biggest partiers at Columbia. Will had trouble thinking of a way that they both managed to get top grades while being out all night, enjoying the clubs and the collage hook-up parties. They had offered to share their secrets, like reading their notes while pounding each other senseless in their dorm, but Will had perceptibly passed.

"What are you guys even doing up?" he asked, starting to walk to move things along. Sometimes they could get a little bit riled up, and he was definitely too dejected to handle them at the moment.

"Where the hell have you been? We haven't seen you for-fucking-ever. Things with the little woman going wrong?" Larry asked, taking a sip of the beverage in his hand.

Will was thinking twice about telling them about Jack. After all, he had almost killed the kid. But he figured that nothing bad would come out of telling them, so he explained everything. Boy meets boy, boy almost kills boy, boy offers his dorm as his apology, boy won't leave boy the hell alone, but other boy doesn't really mind as much anymore.

"I think he likes you," Joe responds, being strangely observant for the first time. Larry laughed in agreement, running a hand through his hair and snaking an arm around Joe's shoulder. "You should take him out to dinner."

"What?" Will exclaimed, looking somewhat bewildered. That suggestion seemed to come out of nowhere. Joe and Larry were usually all about partying, and not really all about the big romantic gestures.

_Romantic, _that voice in Will's head snorted. H_e's just a friend. There's no use in getting all romantic about a friend, especially a male one who you have absolutely no feelings for whatsoever._

Joe continued, "You almost killed the kid. I think you at least owe him a meal."

"He's already living in my dorm. I think that's enough, or at least it should be."

It was Larry's turn to laugh. "Will, the way to a lady's heart is the stomach. Take him out to dinner, and he won't owe you a fucking thing. Trust us on this."

"Yeah, well, it's a pretty stupid idea."

Larry snorted. "Well, you go back to the kid then. We're going to go get laid. Come on, Joe."

With that, they were gone. Will shook his head and laughed. Those two were certainly something else. And he did have a point. Will knew more than anyone from Grace that food was definitely the way to get rid of a problem.

* * *

"Well, I guess we're going out to dinner tonight." He decided, walking up the steps to tell Jack the news and to get ready.

It wasn't usual that Will would be struck breathless. It had actually never happened to him before. It seemed like a bad romance novel, about tasteless housewives sitting out on a terrace, gasping and drawing a hand to their chests as they saw a handsome man, shirtless and gorgeous with their bulging muscles smothered in baby oil.

But he found himself almost speechless at the sight in front of him. He felt all the air in his lungs slowly seep away from him, and his mouth dropped open slightly.

"What?" Jack asked obliviously, running a hand through his still-damp hair. He had just emerged from the bathroom after his shower. He was dressed in the suit Will laid out for him, since the restaurant they were going to was nicer than most.

Will couldn't believe his eyes. The most dressed up he had seen Jack was in the clothes he was in when they first met, tight-ish jeans and a cream-colored sweater over a white long sleeved shirt. But this was nothing like that. He looked stunning. The suit fit spectacularly on him, and he had combed his hair. There wasn't gel in his hair, but something cleaner—a type of grooming cream Will was unaware of.

"Oh. My…wow. You look…um, good."

Jack smiled, posing a little. "struck speechless, aren't you?"

He didn't know how right he was. Will couldn't quite keep his eyes off of Jack. "Umm, come on. The cab is outside, we don't want to keep it waiting."

A weird look crossed Jack's face. "A cab? What's the occasion?"

"We're celebrating the fact that I have a deranged lunatic living with me in my dorm room."

"Ha ha," Jack fake laughed, sticking his tongue out at Will and taking one last glance in the mirror. "But really," he said almost seriously, "You're a collage student. You live on collage student wages. Yet you're taking me out to a nice restaurant and hailing me a cab. You're not proposing, are you?" he gasped, holding a hand to his mouth.

Will rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, that's _exactly _what I'm doing. Would you like daises or roses as your bouquet? Just remember, I'm not paying for your dress. That you have to work for yourself".

"Right. I think I'll skip on your wedding fantasies, Truman. Just take your girl to dinner."

"Sorry, my girl is in Schenectady. But I'd be happy to take the loud, slutty girl in the corner out for tonight instead."

Jack's eyes narrowed. "You're in a particularly snippy mood tonight. What's the problem? Your 'girl' found out about your boyfriend on the side?"

"And I suppose that boyfriend you are speaking of, who doesn't exist, is you?"

"Jesus William, stop drooling all over me," Jack shot back, pushing him slightly out of his way and over to the door. "If this goes any further I just might have to get a restraining order."

"Well, your in luck. I'm studying to become a lawyer. I'd be happy to put that into effect. I can do it immediately if you'd like."

"Just shut up and take me to dinner," Jack smiled over his shoulder, grabbing Will's hand and guiding him towards the door. Will followed, hardly reluctantly, smiling as they moved together in the direction of the cab.

* * *

It was late, and the dorm was dark. It didn't help all that much that the two boys were drunk and the room hadn't been clean since last week. They fumbled through the shadows together, holding hands as they simultaneously searched the walls for the light switch. The search ended abruptly when Jack's fingers hit it vigorously, scaring Will to the floor.

"Found it!" he squealed, the lights turning on and Will clamoring onto the ground with a thump, causing Jack to burst into giggles and fall beside him.

"What are you doing down here?"

Will tried his hardest to transform his face into a frown, but the alcohol and all the fun they had that night was too much, and the smile remained there, set firm and unwavering. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm testing the durability of the carpet. It's not soft enough."

They laughed for what seemed like hours, when the inevitable exhaustion finally set in. After changing in front of each other, with no discomfort they settled into their normal positions, Jack on the couch and Will in his bed, and began what had become known as their nightly ritual.

"Good night, Will."

"Good night, Jack."

Will closed his eyes with a smile on his face. The dinner had gone better than he ever could have expected it to go. Jack was well-behaved and didn't act like a jerk. He had even skipped on dessert because he didn't want Will to pay so much for him. The cab ride home had been full of jokes and stories and laughter, and it was absolutely perfect. Will couldn't think of anything that could make the evening more perfect.

He found himself more and more interested in Jack's life. What he did, what he wanted to do, how he grew up, where he was going to go from here. It was more than just him being the kid that had almost gotten killed because of him and now they were stuck together. They did everything together, finished each others sentences—Just like him and Grace, only they were both i guys /i . it was so much different, and so much more fun.

And unlike him and his other few guy friends, the two of them could touch, and nothing would be said afterwards, with the few exceptions where Jack wriggled away and made a joke. They were comfortable, and with a few moments where it sometimes got a little personal, it was nice. It felt like home.

Then there was that _feeling_. That unknown, inexplicable feeling they got around each other. Will could feel it in his stomach even when they were apart, even when he was just thinking about Jack. He didn't know what it was, hell, it could just be friendship, but he loved and hated that feeling at the same time.

A nudge of the bed caused Will's eyes to snap open and lose his train of thought. Looking up into the dim light cast by the moon looking over the windowsill, Will could see Jack there, a blanket clutched in his hand and a hopeful expression on his face.

"Jack…what is it?"

He didn't say anything, but simply moved his head a fraction to the left, motioning for Will to move over.

A silence enveloped the room as Jack awaited Will's reaction. After a brief moment, Will slid over, opening the corner of the sheets, allowing Jack to slip in next to him. They lay next to each other, side by side. Will fell asleep that night to the sound of Jack's breathing and his heartbeat against his arm.


	5. Changes

Age of False Innocence

Chapter Five

Summary: Will finds himself in an uncomfortable position; he might just be falling in love.

* * *

_You're holding on to your grudge.  
Oh, it hurts to always have to be  
Honest with the one that you love._

_…_

_We're concentrating on falling apart.  
We were contenders, now throwing the fights.  
I just wanna believe. _

* * *

Will's eyes shut instinctively as his hand flew in quick, rapid motions over the stirring in his pants. He glanced over to the younger man beside him, and sure enough, Jack was slumbering soundly next to him, his mouth slightly open and his braces glimmering in the moonlight. His eyes fluttered shut again before he could get too wrapped up in Jack's presence. He didn't want him to be there. He didn't want anybody there, and most certainly not sleeping in his bed.

He popped open the buttons to his jeans and swiftly slid them down past his knees, caressing the entrance to his boxers. A sigh escaped his lips, and even though Jack was fast asleep; Will couldn't help but nervously glimpse over and make perfectly sure he didn't hear.

Biting his bottom lip gently, he reached into the opening on the front of his boxers and held himself lightly in his hand. Curling his fingers over the length, he began running his hand the shaft, gasping as he took in an irritated breath. His eyelids pressed securely together, so much so that they began watering slightly. His mouth opened in a silent ecstasy, and all he could think about was the man sleeping next to him.

An intense wave of pleasure rippled through his body. As his hand moved, Will cold feel it growing warmer at his touch. The warmth traveled up his torso and he felt a foreign feeling erupt within him.

He could hear Jack's breathing. He could feel his chest moving rapidly up and down to the rhythm of his own strokes. Will moaned audibly as the exhalation became louder and louder. It took him a while to realize that it was not Jack's breathing that was accelerating, but his own.

_Face it Will, you're nothing but a flaming homo, just like me. Don't be ashamed about it. It's something you should be proud of! You should love who you are._ Jack's voice echoed throughout his mind. It wouldn't leave, and it kept growing louder and more brash. _It isn't that bad. Guys are sooo much better than the women's, Will. You'll find out for yourself one day._

Will could still feel the warmth protruding from Jack's hand on his shoulder that one day. He was so fucking angry and scared, he didn't even acknowledge the fact that he got hard. Over a guy. And not just any guy; this was Jack. The one he didn't know, and didn't even want to know. He had just been some stupid kid who needed a place to stay because he had almost gotten killed. He was nothing to Will.

Yet here he was, next to this annoyingly flamboyant younger boy, touching himself like he never had before and doing so while thinking about how husky his voice grew when he whispered. How his hair gleamed under the dorm room lights after he got out of the shower. How his crystal blue eyes brightened every time he heard the voice of Kevin Bacon or his favorite Cher song over the radio.

He whimpered loudly and clutched the sheets of the bed constrictingly. His hand was now nothing more than a blur, and Will could feel the bed shaking mildly because of his breaths. Lifting his free hand to grasp the pillow behind him; he hissed pleasurably as his fingers gently brushed against Jack's soft hair. Though it was only a fleeting touch, his eyes closed with more vehemence than he ever could have imagined.

Jack stirred just a little bit next to him, but Will wouldn't have been able to control his orgasm if he was being paid to. He came violently, biting on his lip in order to keep from crying out. A whimper of delight escaped him, and his head rolled to the side. Will's shallow breaths perfectly matched Jack's, who was once again absolutely still on the opposite side of the mattress.

Tears he had been holding back for days began spilling onto his cheeks as he cradled the pillow in his arms. His pants and boxers were a mess, but that wasn't the reason he felt unclean. His only companion for the past month was innocently slumbering next to him while he was doing something he had always learned was wrong. He remembered his father telling him how he would make a women a wonderful bride one day. Now it all changed. Jack was right; he couldn't deny who he was any longer.

"I'm gay..." he muttered to himself as he kept crying. It was finally clear to him now. He knew what that feeling was every time Jack's hand came into contact with his body. He knew now what that tug on his heart was whenever he saw his younger friend with a guy. It wasn't because he was repulsed at the sight of two guys together.

It was jealousy.

Jack gave a little sigh and rolled over in his sleep, so that he was now facing Will. The light from outside the window displayed his face in a stream of moonlight. Will could see very clearly just how flawless his skin was. There was not a crease or blemish in sight, which was probably because he was so young. The scrapes from the accident seemed to have withered away, leaving porcelain skin in its wake. Will noticed how perfect and red his full lips were, and was very tempted to kiss the boy.

A bit hesitant at first, Will lowered his face towards Jacks. His eyes were still closed, and Will could hear the silent breathing of the teenager. His lips were positioned perfectly, as if he had planned for Will to kiss him in the middle of the night. Taking a deep breath, Will sobbed dryly, trying to do so softly so he didn't wake Jack. Their faces were close. They were so dangerously close.

Will felt a whole new feeling burst in his chest, and it caused him to draw back and bawl into his pillow.

_I can't do it, dammit. I can't be gay! I just can't!_

_I'm not like Jack. I can't kiss another man. I don't know if I want to either. I'm just too fucking scared. I don't know if I'll always be like this or not. Maybe it's just a phase. I'll outgrow it, right? It's not like I'm in love with Jack. He doesn't care about me, and I don't care about him. He's just a kid staying with me until he can find his own place. His parents kicked him out and I'm doing him a favor. I'm not fucking him for Christ's sake! I don't have any feelings for him at all._

_In the morning I'll be better. It'll be like nothing even happened. The phase will be over, and I'll go to Grace's parents house and meet them. Then we'll go off and get married. It's Grace I love; not this lunatic. I like girls. I love Grace._

_Jack is nothing to me, and he never will be. Never._

Will reached under the bed and grabbed the box of tissues he kept under there. He cleaned his front up, and got off of the bed slowly to change into a new pair of pants.

Glancing up at the bed to get another glimpse of Jack, he was shocked to find that the boy was watching him with one eye open from his spot on the pillow. Will gasped loudly, and threw his soiled boxers into the garbage pail next to his desk. "Jesus Jack, you scared the shit out of me," he spoke awkwardly, not sure how much of his little show the teenager had seen.

Yawning and stretching his arms over his head, Jack squinted in the darkness. "Sorry. I felt you get off of the bed, and it woke me up."

"You're the lightest sleeper I've ever seen," he noted, sliding on a new pair of underpants as quickly as he could without Jack seeing anything. A wicked smile appeared on Jack's face.

"Oh. Did someone make a mess?"

Will rolled his eyes and tried his best to seem nonchalant. "Please. I just wanted something a little more comfortable on."

Jack smiled and shook his head, but didn't say anything. He lay back on the bed again and sighed happily. "Hey Will?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing today?"

Will stopped picking up his clothes from the floor and thought. "Nothing," he replied, resuming his cleaning. "Winter Break started awhile ago, so I'm free for a couple of weeks."

Jack's grin widened. "You mean you're mine for those weeks," he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing. Do you want to go with me to the dentist today? I'm finally getting my braces off."

"Sure," Will said without thinking. He paused and sat down on the bed next to Jack. "Umm, Jack? You know what you said about me yesterday?"

Smiling, Jack put a finger to his chin and pretended to think. "Let's see...yesterday..hmm. No Will, I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about. What was it that I said?"

Aggravated, Will flopped onto the bed and covered himself with the sheets. "Never mind," he hissed, turning over to the side and away from Jack.

Jack did the same, and slipped his hands around Will's waist. "I know what you mean. That you were a big, flaming homo?" Will fidgeted a bit in the boy's arms, but didn't object to them.

"Yeah. I wouldn't put it in those terms, but yes."

"What about it?" Jack asked, his fingers tracing circles on Will's chest, making him shiver.

"You know it's not true, right? I mean, I do have a girlfriend, and I do love her. I can't be gay. And I don't know why anyone would say I was, because, well, I'm not."

They traveled back on bed, lying down together. Jack's chest was pressing against his back, and his mouth was just above his ear; he was whispering low, his fingers kneading at the soft cotton T-shirt Will was wearing.

"Ok Will," Jack said comfortably, almost as if he were about to fall asleep. "I get it. You're not gay." His hands traveled down Will's stomach. He pulled him closer, massaging his waist gently. Will closed his eyes and buried his face in his pillow.

"Jack..." he trailed, making a fist. Jack didn't answer, but moved his hands lower, kneading Will's pelvis softly. Will took in a breath and shut his eyes tighter. "Jack, what are you doing?"

His voice was monotonous. It wasn't as shaky or full of fear as he felt, and it had no emotion in it whatsoever. Jack still remained silent, but rested his head on Will's arm. His mouth was inches away from Will's ear, and Will could hear Jack's shallow breaths. Will made a little noise, not so much a moan, more of a gasp.

Jack's hands were warm, but they felt like ice against the blistering heat of Will's body. Will felt the elastic waistband of his boxers expand as Jack's hand slid under it. In that moment, Will felt something inside of him burst, and he jerked away.

"What are you doing?" he said more forcefully, causing Jack to jump. He eyes cast down to the floor. "Nothing. Sorry."

Jack turned to the wall and sighed. At least he hadn't run away. As long as Will never ran away, he would always have a chance.

"You're not fooling me, you know that right?" Jack whispered. Will shut his eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep already. "You can push yourself as far away as you want. You can stop talking to me, you can throw me out, you can do anything you want. But you don't fool me, and you won't get rid of me. I know you don't want that."

Will's eyes opened. He knew he was right.

Jack settled down and fell back asleep pretty easily. It wasn't that simple for Will.

* * *

"Oh God. That is huge. I–I don't think I can do this. I mean, he can't put that thing in my mouth! It's way too big! It's going to hurt Will, I can't do it. Just...look at the size of that thing!"

"I bet you say that every night of your life don't you? Only I bet you're not this apprehensive about it."

Jack slapped Will on the arm. Will stood above the dentists chair where the young man was sitting, getting ready to have his braces removed.

"Just think of it this way; you won't look like a twelve-year old anymore!" Will joked, soliciting a giggle from Jack.

"That's not funny," Jack said, trying to hide his smile. "I don't look twelve, do I?" he looked up at Will, who shrugged. "You look pretty young to be sixteen. You look like a little kid with those braces on."

"Well then, if you'll like it, it's a good thing I'm getting them off."

A blush crept up Will's cheeks, and he cleared his throat. "Please. You know you're glad you're getting them off. It's not because of me."

"Yeah, also, it's a lot easier to give head when there's no metal in your mouth."

The rosy pink color in Will's face transformed into a deep red. He gave Jack a little slap on the head and looked around, embarrassed. "Don't talk about that here," he said, looking around to see if anyone had overheard them. Jack was talking kind of loudly.

Jack smiled, his braces glinting in the light for the last time. "Ok–a–ay," he said in a sing-song voice. "You know you love when I talk like that, though."

A smirk appeared on Will's face for the first time in a long time. "Right. Now see if I hold your hand while they stick all those needles into your mouth."

The smile dropped from Jack's face, and he gripped the sides of the chair. He turned a ghostly white and his eyes grew wide. "I'm sorry. Hold my hand?" he replied quickly, holding out his palm.

Will sighed and took it, running his thumb over the top of Jack's hand. They stayed that way for a while. It never got uncomfortable. Jack leaned back in the chair and let out a breath, eyeing the sharp utensils on the tray in front of him again.

"Do you think it's going to hurt?"

Will gripped onto Jack's hands tighter and smiled. "Not much. You'll hardly feel anything," he reassured him. Jack made a whimpering sound. "You're only saying that to make me feel better."

"No, I'm not. Trust me, you won't feel a thing. In fact, to celebrate the removal of your childhood, why don't we go out tonight? We can go get something to eat. You know, have some dinner together."

"You paying?"

Will smiled. "Something tells me I'm going to have to."

"Don't worry, soon enough, someone will have to pick up the screenplay that I wrote and think, 'Genius! This Jack McFarland is an absolute genius! He's exactly what we're looking for ! And we'll make him a star!'" Jack explained, a dreamy smile on his face. Will rolled his eyes.

"Until then, the least you could do is pay for the home I'm giving you in my dorm. I'm not surprised that Rob moved to Ellen's after the first few days you were living there. He told me that he couldn't stand to see you in that nurses outfit at the end of his bed one more night."

"He's just jealous that he doesn't have my perfect figure. I saw the way he was looking at me."

"Jack, that would be called a look of horror."

"Suuuure. Will, I know when a man wants me. Tell him that I am i soooo /i sorry, but he just isn't my type. Break it to him gently, though, okay? I don't want his little heart to break."

Will nodded, knowing enough by now that Jack was only doing this to milk all the attention he could. "You know what? I bet that if I roll my eyes any more, they'll stick to my brain. So why don't you not talk for, say, a few hours?"

At that moment, the dentist walked in, a clipboard in one hand, a needle filled with novocaine in the other. Jack yelped as he saw it, but only squeezed Will's hand tighter.

"Ok Jack, open wide. This won't take very long..."

* * *

"Dammit, that hurt. And he said no kissing for a few days? What a bunch of crap."

"That means nothing _else _with your mouth either, Jack. I want you to stay inside. I'll make you some oatmeal or something. Just don't eat anything solid for three days like he said. You need to give your teeth time to adjust, or something like that."

Jack grimaced, running his tongue over the smooth enamel of his teeth again, enjoying the feeling without the cold jagged metal. They were still a bit sore, but not enough to really cause him any real pain. He gave Will a little shove on the arm.

"You're just like my mother, you know that? Only she isn't doomed to be balding and overweight by thirty."

"And you wonder why I complain about having you around?" Will asked, smiling a little. Jack was walking beside him, his arm held loosely at his side while they both strolled down the sidewalk. The grin disappeared as he glanced at Jack's hand swaying back and forth as they moved, and resisted the surprising urge he had to grab and hold it.

"Please. You love me around. I mean, look at how many people are paying attention to you now that you're here with me," Jack retorted, giving a flirtatious smile to the guy across the street. Maybe three minutes was enough time for his teeth to adjust, Jack thought, as the boy on the other side flashed a grin back.

Will looked away, pretending to be interested in the window display of the store next to him. He really shouldn't have been surprised when he looked back and Jack was now making eyes at the other man down on the corner, leaning on the telephone post waiting for the street to clear at the intersection.

"Could you be anymore obvious?" Will wondered aloud, causing Jack to turn to him with him eyes wide.

"Jealousy could just be your downfall, Will. Just letting you know now, it's never going to happen."

Rolling his eyes and trying not to think to much about what Jack said, Will turned at the next light, pulling Jack along as he almost stopped to follow the man that he had his eye on.

"Easy Truman! I'm very delicate," Jack teased, hooking his arm onto Will as the older man tried to shimmy away. Jack kept his grip, though, wandering towards the nearest sandwich shop. "Come on, let's get something to eat, like you said."

"No solid foods, Jack. Let's go back to the dorm. I'll make you something."

They went around their last right, and headed up to the Columbia campus. After heading up the stairs and unlocking the door to the room, Jack bounded across the floor, flopping on the bed and waving Will towards the tiny kitchen. "Come on, Will. Your lady wants some oatmeal."

"I told you before, you're _not _my lady," Will whined, following Jack's orders and getting the instant packet from the cabinets. "Just letting you know, it's never going to happen."

Jack stuck his tongue out upon hearing his own words against him, and sat up as the microwave whirred with his lunch. Will walked into the living room again, just looking at Jack on the bed.

It was strange, how far they had come. Jack had gone from someone he could hardly stand being with, to someone who was around him every day. They had inside jokes and tons of things in common, oddly. Will was beginning to think that Jack had been there everyday of his life, or that's what it had seemed like. They were good friends. But in that moment, seeing Jack without his braces, on his bed, looking so much older and so different yet so the same, he was beginning to feel something else.

A bizarre feeling of affection, though he thought maybe it was something stronger. Jack pressed his newly freed teeth against the soft skin of his lips, leaving an indentation behind in their wake, and a question that had been plaguing him since that night slipped out suddenly.

"Jack…what's it like—to kiss a guy?"

Jack could feel the sudden switch of power as though the lights on Will's side of the room dimmed and his brightened intensely. He was unsure how to respond, until he saw the unusual look of curiousity in Will's eyes. Something that he knew was hidden there all along, but had just now exposed itself; allowed itself to be presented to him.

He took a breath, the room deathly silent. The ding of the microwave was lost on the words that came out of Jack's mouth.

"Do you…want me to show you?"

* * *

Bwahaha. cliffhangers rock :D


	6. This is Growing Up

Title: Age of False Innocence

Chapter: Six

Rating: PG-13

* * *

_His stomach turns_

_And he thinks of throwing up_

_But the body on the bed beckons forward_

_And he starts growing up._

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jack said delicately, so quiet it was almost a whisper.

Will hesitated. Did he want to do this? He didn't know if he did or not, but this was the only way he could finally be sure of himself. He'd kiss Jack, hate it, and finally be freed of this annoying burden. Then he could get married to Grace, and they'd move far away from Columbia, and far away from Jack. He'd finally be free.

He nodded, sitting down on the bed next to Jack. He grabbed the blanket underneath him to keep his hands from shaking._ All this over a damn kiss? This is fucking insane. Kissing Grace isn't hardly this awkward. Maybe I'm right. I'm not gay. If I was, I wouldn't be this nervous, right?_

No matter how much he said it, it didn't chase away that funny feeling he had been harboring since meeting Jack_. It's him, probably. He's the reason I've been feeling this way. He just makes me nervous, that's all. He's insane. It's him, not me. He's making me like this. _

Jack shattered Will's thoughts by grabbing on gently to his hand. Will shot it back, as if his touch had burnt like wild fire. That's exactly what it had felt like. His hand still burned with Jack's touch, and like all the other times he had touched him, he knew it would be a while before it faded away.

"I don't bite, you know. Well, unless you're into that sort of thing," Jack smiled, trying to get Will to do the same. He kept his hand steady, moving it swiftly across the sheets, both of the touching fingers. Will was off in another world though.

"C'mon, Will. Don't be so scared. It's only a kiss, right? Just chill out and do it."

The older man still didn't move. He kept thinking, like his mind was a record being played on repeat. _It isn't only a kiss. It's disgusting. I don't want to do it, and I won't. This isn't who I am. It isn't what I want to be, and no matter how much you try to change me, I won't change for you. You're nothing to me, Jack. You never will be anything to me._

Still, he remained there. His mouth couldn't move; he couldn't formulate any words to say them to Jack. He just turned to him and tried his best not to throw up.

Jack moved the hand towards Will's knee, anxious to find out if he would dart back or not. To his surprise, Will's eyes closed slowly, and he let out something that seemed like a sigh.

_I'm not gay, I'm not enjoying this. This is Hell for me. I hate everything about what is going on here._

It reverberated throughout his mind over and over, like a mantra. But as Jack's hand slid slowly up his thigh, he forgot he ever thought of those words. Jack watched exultantly as he saw Will open his eyes and watch what he was doing.

"Don't worry; I'm not going to do anything bad," he lied, squeezing Will's thigh comfortingly. He moved his face closer and closer to his friend's. Will's eyes shut again as he did the same.

_I am enjoying this, dammit. Fuck, I can't be doing this. I can't._

They were so close now. Will could feel Jack's breaths rushing forward to meet his own, and he could open his eyes and see Jack looking back at him.

Both of their eyes were open, and they didn't dare look at anything else. Now only centimeters apart, they could each see every part of their partners face. Will could look up and see the cerulean and metallic blues fighting for domination in Jack's pupils. He could see how evenly distributed his eyelashes were; not one of them was longer than the other.

Jack could look up and do the same; he saw the warm honey brown of Will's eyes, and how they pierced through his with an incisive stare. He noticed that his skin was smooth and polished, though it didn't look like it from far away. He could only see it when they were this close...

_I can't be doing this. This is crazy. I can't._

Will's admonishing thoughts became weaker by the passing second. And as he pressed his lips onto Jack's, they disappeared completely.

Despite how long it took for the kiss to happen, it didn't take long for Will to deepen it. It was so natural; like he had been doing it all his life. He reached his hand up to stroke the back of Jack's neck, and got so lost in the moment, he forgot totally where he was.

Jack gasped into his mouth and placed his hands on Will's waist, trying to pull him closer without straining himself in their uncomfortable position. Though their placement was awkward, the kiss was anything but. They both closed their eyes at the same moment, and soon Will's eyes were shaded with darkness.

He didn't need to see. He could feel. Oh God, he could feel every emotion Jack was through their lips. He saw how afraid he was, how fucking scared he had been. They were exactly the same. Through the kiss, they shared everything they had ever felt around each other. And it was all identical. There wasn't one thought that was unrequited.

Jack's tongue slid into Will's mouth stealthily, and Will gasped, surprised. But he didn't pull away. He couldn't.

They moved slowly up more on the bed, and Jack guided Will on top of him. Though Will's eyelids made it impossible for him to see in that moment, he could sense Jack's urgency and passion as the skilled tongue moved in and out of his mouth. He rested his hand onto Jack's wrist, trying to hold himself up. He felt every heart beat of his friend's escalating through his veins.

He felt a tug on his shirt, only to realize that the collar of the oxford he was wearing had become unbuttoned. Will's eyes snapped open, and he drew back immediately. All the doubts and uncertainty he had perceived before the kiss rushed back into his head, and Will felt like he had been hit like a train.

"Wha? Will? What's wrong?" Jack asked breathlessly, looking up from his position on the bed, a confused look plastering his pale form.

_This. This whole thing is wrong. I can't be gay. I can't be like this. I don't love Jack, I hardly know the kid. And I just kissed him. Oh Dear Jesus, I just kissed a guy._

"You. You're wrong!" Will shouted as loud as he could. Jack sat up immediately and grabbed his shoulder, the puzzled expression growing more prominent.

"Will. What are you tal–"

"Get out of here." Will's voice cracked, but it was icy and colder than the frozen weather outside. When Jack didn't move, he shot up off of his spot on the bed and screamed louder. "Dammit, I said to get the fuck out of here!"

A tear flew from Jack's eyes and landed on Will's pillow. "Will...what's wrong?"

Will grew irritated and grabbed the ratty denim jacket from his chair. "Fine. You're obviously not going anywhere you fucking faggot, so I'll leave. And I swear to God, if you're here when I get back..." he didn't finish the threat. He simply opened the door violently and ran out, shoving his hands into his pockets and heading to the door leading outside the building.

It was Jack's turn to get angry. He didn't bother grabbing something to cover himself with; he ran barefoot out on the frozen collage campus.

"Hey! Don't get mad at me because of who you are! I didn't fucking kiss you, we kissed each other. Its not like I tied you to the damn bed and forced myself on you."

Will turned around and glowered at him dangerously. "Shut up, Jack," he warned.

"Or what? You're going to kick my ass? Please. You couldn't hurt anything even if it came up to you and begged to be hurt. Now stop walking and fucking listen to me. You're gay, Will. I know it, you know it, the whole fucking campus knows it. I know you're scared. I was scared too. It'll probably take a while to get used to it, but you're a fucking faggot just like me!"

Will stopped in his tracks and turned around, a hurt expression on his face, and Jack softened, Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to yell at him, especially when he was so vulnerable and confused. Jack berated himself silently, looking Will in the eyes. "Look, Will, I'm sorry. You're right. Maybe I should just leave you alone. I obviously am doing nothing to help, and let's face it, you're not into me. You're not into any man. You're not gay. I get it now. Now come inside, and let's do something else. Watch a movie or something."

He spoke loosely, as if he didn't believe a word of what he just said. And Will knew he didn't. He was just trying to make him feel better. And he didn't need that right now. He didn't need pity from someone who was still in grade school.

"No, I think I'm going to take a drive," he said hollowly. "I'll see you later."

* * *

In his car, Will contemplated everything that had been going on since the night of the party. The night he met the man who was either going to destroy his life, or change it completely. Jack was nice when he wanted to be, but Will couldn't help but always feel nervous around him. It was like he knew so much more, though he was younger.

He was always talking about men. Whether people he met on the way to the gym in the morning, or just random stars he had seen watching TV. Will had always wondered if he knew about half the stuff he mentioned. He must have been too young to do everything, but the way he talked and carried himself, made him seem so experienced. But for God's sake, he was only sixteen! He acted so much younger, but the way he looked at himself and the world around him made Will feel like he was with someone so much older.

There were also those times when they both were together, but very quiet. Those were always so weird. It seemed like Jack was always staring at him, trying to figure something out. Like there was something that he could see inside of Will that he didn't even know was there yet.

And then there was that crazy accusation. That he was gay. Just because Jack couldn't go a day without sticking his tongue down a random guy's throat didn't mean he did.

As soon as those thoughts crossed his mind, he immediately regretted them. _None of this is Jack's fault,_ he thought to himself, turning down an unfamiliar street in Schenectady. _He just gets a little carried away. The guy thinks everyone is gay. It's not him. Just forget he ever said it. Ignore him if he says it again, which he probably will. Just forget it._

But he couldn't forget it. He couldn't forget Jack's warm, inviting tongue sliding into his mouth skillfully, working it's way in and out. How his lips perfectly interlocked with the teenagers, like they were two lost puzzle pieces being reunited. He tried not to close his eyes as he remembered Jack's hands roaming his back, arms, and chest, until his fingers reconciled at the collar of his shirt...

Will stopped the car and rubbed his eyes tiredly. It was only four in the afternoon, but he couldn't help but feel like he hadn't slept for days. These thoughts were taking over him completely, and he didn't like it. He looked at his surroundings, and it took him a while to register where he was.

"Shit," he whispered quietly to himself, looking at the tall townhouse in front of him. He knew it would take awhile to go back, and it was now or never. He still wasn't completely sure of everything, but he knew that he would be soon. And he needed to get out of this as soon as possible.

He stayed in the car for what seemed like hours, gathering up his courage before opening the car door and walking towards the residence, strolling past Grace's familiar car.

He walked up the steps of the house and took a breath as he knocked on the door cautiously, worried as hell. His fingers fumbled his the lining of the jacket he had found in the back seat of the car.

Grace opened the door suddenly, eyes opening wide and a smile breaking out on her face. She jumped up and down happily and threw her arms around him, screeching into his ears. He didn't mind the shrieking much, after all, he had spent the last few weeks with Jack.

"Will! Oh my God, what are you doing here! I thought there was an accident with that kind you met! Are you staying the rest of the week? Oh God! I'm so happy you're here!"

He looked her over. A week at her Mom's certainly hadn't done her much good. Under her eyes were decorated with bags, and she looked more frazzled then usual. It was then that Will actually believed all of the horror stories Grace had regaled him with about her mother.

His thoughts were breaking through loud and clear, and the speech inside of his head that he had been practicing the entire way there rolled around in his mind. He tried to ignore the fuzzy static of Jack's voice trying to break in through the edges, as he took a breath and prepared for the worst.

"Yeah, hey Grace," he said half-heartedly, giving her a hug back. "Listen, I can't stay long, I just need to tell you something."

Grace's face fell, but she didn't lose her cheerful expression. "Well, aren't those a girls favorite seven words to hear. Come on in. It must be freezing out there."

"Grace…"

A worried expression crossed her face. "What happened?"

The world seemed to stop as he explained the reason why he drove the entire way there. In just one moment, everything appeared to change.

* * *

"What the fuck was I thinking?" Will exclaimed at himself, his voice barely being registered thanks to the music around him. He didn't know where he was, he just knew that it was some kind of party. Somewhere outside of the Columbia campus. He didn't know the exact location, but he knew that there was no sign of Grace or Jack anywhere, which is exactly what he wanted.

"Could I have been anymore stupid! I mean, I told her I was gay! And then she threw me out of her life forever! How could I have been so dumb!" People around him gave him odd looks, but he didn't care. His fifth glass of beer was sloshing around in his hand. He thought that he would have another soon.

He made his way to the bar, practically throwing himself at the alcohol. "Jesus, what I did was probably the biggest fucking mistake of my life. I mean, I don't even know yet! How could I have done that?" He put his face in his hands and sighed, a tear squeezing out of the corner of his eye.

"Suck it up, Truman," he told himself quietly, so that not everyone in the tri-state area could hear him this time. "You did it and now she's gone. Forever. Nothing's going to bring her back, because you can't take back what you said. Just order another drink and hope that you forget about all of this in the morning."

He had done it. And he felt worse than he ever felt in his entire life. The heavy thumping of the music around him went unnoticed as he pounded his head on the bar, unaware of the people next to him giving him strange looks as they walked by.

There was no doubt in his mind that Grace would never, ever forgive him. He thought that just maybe, she would understand and take it well. He had hoped that she would give him a hug and say that it was all okay, that she didn't care and would still be his best friend, no matter what. He just wondered what changed her.

He would never forget the look on her face as she threw him out of her home, clusters of tears forming in her eyes and on her cheeks, drying as they fell in the chilling wind. He actually fucking begged her to reconsider what she was doing; to just stop this and talk it out, but she wouldn't hear any of it.

Will could just imagine what Jack would say. Probably smile and gloat, that cocky smile fixed on his face as it always was. It was his greatest and worst accessory. And Will didn't want to think about it. He didn't want to think of him at all. After all, this was all his fault.

He looked at the bottle in his hand, which was mostly empty except for a little beer at the bottom. He quickly swallowed the rest of it and turned around, looking for the door.

"Hey, you leaving already?" Someone asked from behind him. Will turned around and found a pretty blonde girl standing there, a smile on her face as she twirled a lock of it on her finger. "Can I buy you another drink?" she asked, batting her eyelashes.

Will grinned back. Girls really were way too obvious. Then he got an idea. A nagging idea that once it popped into his head, he couldn't let it go.

"Yeah, umm, what's your name? Mine's Will."

"Oh, Diane. I'm Diane..."

* * *

Another cliffhanger? They just keep on coming, don't they ;D 


	7. Flame Of Hope

Title: Age of False Innocence

Chapter: Seven

Warning: Adult situations ahead. You are warned.

**Author's Note: **This fanfic is currently on **HIATUS. **I don't know when the next installment will be put on here, as I haven't written it yet and have no desire to at this moment. There are things going on in my life beyond my control that I would like to focus on now. Thank you to the many people who left reviews, this chaper is for you :D

* * *

The ride home seemed to drag on for hours to Will. He knew he shouldn't be driving with the hangover he had, but there was no one at the party that he knew to bring him back, and he doubted any of them would have cared. The good thing was, it was so dark and so late, that no one could see him swerving in the street, and there were no cops around to catch him trying to speed home. To get as far away from everything as possible.

The worst thing was, there was nowhere to go to be alone. He had to go back and face Jack. Just thinking that confused him. He didn't have to deal with him at all. In fact, he could throw him out, out of his life forever, and never look back. But something told him that getting rid of Jack could never be that easy. Plus, for the week and a half that he had been staying with him, Jack had become one of Will's only friends. Rob was always around Ellen, Joe and Larry were always running off together, and Will knew that Grace wouldn't exactly want to hang out with him and be bestest friends forever after what he had just confessed.

It wasn't even true. Not to him, at least. No matter how many people he confessed that he was gay too, there wasn't anything he could do to prove it to himself.

Will pulled up into the driveway of the Columbia campus. He sat there in silence, looking up the stairs to his dorm. _Jack is in there, no doubt. It isn't really likely that he would leave just because I yelled at him. It would take a crowbar to get him away from me at this point_, Will thought tiredly.

Opening the door to the dorm, he found Jack sitting on his bed, eyes red from rubbing them. They had gotten rid of the couch a few days earlier, because it was falling apart, and they slept in the same bed anyway, so there wasn't any another real place to sleep, but Will found himself still getting angry. It had just been such a fucked up day.

"Get off of my bed, now," he demanded, firmly but not yelling. He doubted that he could yell without breaking down again. Jack obeyed, but slowly. He gathered a blanket in his arms and settled on the carpet, wishing that they hadn't gotten rid of the old couch the day before. It was falling apart, but that was better than the hard ground.

They stayed like that for what seemed like hours. Jack tried and tried to sleep, but the resentment from Will's bed above radiated like some kind of lantern, and rest seemed like an impossible feat.

"Will?" Jack asked tearfully, looking up gently from the floor. Stray pieces of his hair fell in front of his eyes, but he didn't seem to be paying attention to his looks this time. When the older man didn't respond, he tried again. "Will, please listen to me..."

"What?" Will shot back coldly, not moving from his spot. His eyes shut stubbornly, and he swore to himself that he wouldn't look at Jack. Not when he felt so confused.

Jack went on, "Are you okay? You haven't said a word since you've been back."

He didn't answer. Will couldn't tell him what had happened at Grace's or at the party that night. Jack couldn't know anything. After all, he was just a kid he had picked up on the street. He didn't need to know if Will didn't want him to. He had no obligation to tell him at all.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Jack nodded. He shifted on the floor, trying to get comfortable on the blankets Will had laid out for him to sleep on. It was hard to get well-situated when his shoulder blades were being mashed against the rough carpet. "Will, can I sleep in your bed? It's really hard to—"

"No." Will interrupted him suddenly, shooting him a severe look. Jack's face fell. He never knew Will could be like this. The Will he had originally met was a warm, caring person, someone who had cared enough to open his home to him. It was all so confusing. He had expected him not to take the obvious news well, but he never thought he could be like this.

An uncomfortable silence settled between them, when Jack boldly spoke up, "It's not like I'm going to rape you in your sleep tonight. I like my victims to be awake, anyways."

Will let out an irritated sigh and moved over on the mattress. He didn't say anything, but Jack took it as a cue to get on. He gathered his blankets and placed his head on the pillow next to Will, who had turned his head away from the boy next to him.

The silence mingled with the sound of Jack's loud breathing. Will could feel the teen's warmth all around him, and it was intoxifying.

"Jack?" he asked suddenly, not moving his head. His voice had grown softer, but there was a certain other emotion intertwined in his vocalization. Something that sounded like sadness to Jack.

"Yeah?" he answered, turning his body towards his friend.

"I told Grace this weekend", Will said delicately, crossing his arms across the front of his chest. Jack wasn't sure if he was telling him, or confirming it within himself.

"Told her what?" he ventured. He noticed Will gave a little sigh as he answered reluctantly.

"I told her I was gay."

Jack smiled sarcastically to himself. "So you're finally admitting it now? You finally realize that I was telling you the truth all along?"

Will didn't say anything. His face gained a contemplative look, and he looked like he was lost in his thoughts. "She kicked me out of her parent's place. She told me she never wanted to see me ever again."

"Yeah, well, sometimes that happens."

"Did it happen to you?" Will asked, genuinely curious. "Did any of your friends and family abandon you like that?"

Jack paused. He had told all of his friends, who in turn vowed never to speak with him after that. His father had kicked him out of the house, and he didn't have the heart to tell his mother, who he knew loved him and was probably sick out of her mind trying to find him. But he couldn't go home. He wasn't about to tell Will about it.

"Some of them did. Well, most of them," he admitted, but continued on quickly as Will's face fell. "But some of them were very supportive of me." Jack smiled, wondering if Will knew that he was talking about him. "Even though they knew I was gay, that didn't keep them from staying by my side and loving and caring for me, no matter who I was. And even when I bugged and annoyed the crap out of them, as I am often known to do, they are always there."

Will smiled and let out a little laugh. Then he got quiet and his face grew serious. "How did you come out to your family?"

Jack swallowed hard. Of all the questions he could ask, why did he have to ask that one?

"Well," he started awkwardly, "When I was about twelve, my mother got this crazy idea to put me in pee-wee football. She said it would give me more friends and improve my athletic ability. I mean, come on! If I wanted to be athletic, I would take ballet or cheerleading; you know, important sports," he ignored Will's nodding, who was entranced by Jack's wild story.

"So when I'm at my first practice, I say to my Mom, 'you know what mother, I do want to play with those boys over there'. While she was telling me that she knew that I would love it, I dropped the bomb. 'Mother,' I said, staring her straight in the eye, 'I don't mean football. I want to play with them off the field. I'm gay.'"

He spoke quickly and dramatically, often stumbling over his words, and he hoped that Will would believe what he was saying. The older man just sat still, though. "What about your father?" he asked innocently.

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to bring up. Jack's face fell, and suddenly he looked close to tears. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Will quickly mentioned, grabbing onto his hand.

"I told him about two weeks ago," he confessed, rubbing the back of his arm with his other hand uncomfortable. Will thought about letting go of Jack's hand, but decided against it and instead gripped it tighter.

"He...he hit me. I never thought someone who I thought loved and cared about me for all these years could seem like he hated me so much. He called me a faggot and told me to get out of the house. So I did. And I was walking to see where I could go, and—it was dark outside. I was walking in the street, and I didn't see the car coming. And then—"

"And then I came along," Will finished for him. Jack nodded, his eyes faded and glassy. Will felt his chest tighten as he remembered he had done the exact same thing to Jack.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered apologetically, meaning every word with every part of his heart and soul. Tears rolled down Jack's cheeks, though the boy looked like crying was the last thing he wanted to do. But another one rolled reluctantly. Then two more.

The next thing Will knew, Jack was gathered in his arms, crying into his knit shirt. He felt the damp tears meld into the fabric, soaking his chest.

"Shh...don't worry Jackie. It'll be okay, I promise," he consoled, holding onto the teenager tighter. He still wouldn't stop. Will felt like he was in hell. It seemed so wrong, seeing Jack cry. It was so unlike him, showing such deep emotion. He was hurting inside all this time, just like Will was. "Christ, Jack, please stop it. It's going to be ok. He's not here right now, I am. And we're going to be okay."

Jack looked up at Will, smiling through the tears shining in his eyes. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours to Will, though it was only a few seconds.

Jack's face continued moving closer to Will's, until their lips were touching. But unlike their last kiss, which was sudden and urgent, this one was smooth, sensual, passionate; every pleasant word Will could find in his vocabulary. They stayed that way for a moment, neither of them daring to go any further.

Jack laced his arms around Will's neck, and moved his hands down to the zipper of his jeans.

"Jack," Will gasped, breaking the kiss immediately. His face flushed a bright scarlet, and there was something that looked like fear sparkling in his brown eyes. "What are you doing?"

"It's okay," Jack reassured, kissing him gently on the lips before speaking again. "You trust me, don't you?"

"I can't do this. I mean, I've never done this before..."

"Shh," Jack silenced him, giving him another kiss to comfort him. "I'm not going to try to make you feel better by saying it's no big deal. Because it is," he confessed breathlessly, " But it'll all be okay in the end. You'll still be Will Truman. Nothing will change. There's nothing to worry about. Just do what comes naturally. Don't worry about it and do what your body feels is comfortable. Remember, you don't have to do this. We can stop."

Will looked into the crystal blue eyes piercing into him. What was that hidden there? He seemed so sure of himself, and his voice was strong and soothing, as if he knew somehow that everything would be all right. But there was something else there with them. Jack was scared. They were both afraid of the same thing.

Will bit his lip and nodded, smiling slightly. A few minutes earlier, he had felt so much younger compared to Jack. The teenager was so much more experienced, even though he was so much younger. That thought made him almost disgusted with himself, and there was a split second where he thought he should stop. But he didn't.

And as the weight of their clothes became less and less, he finally felt equal. As Jack pulled the lubricant out of his pocket and prepared Will with it, Will had never felt more scared about anything in his entire life. Even during that presentation he had to give in front of the entire school when he was seventeen. That counted for eighty-five percent of his entire grade, and decided whether he graduated or not.

He smiled to himself. _I bet I'm the only person who thinks about high school right before he's about to have someone fuck him_. He thought, and he almost laughed aloud. Jack placed his palm flat on his lower back, quieting his thoughts and preparing him for what was about to happen.

He cried out sharply as Jack slid into him as gently as he could. Jack switched his emotions so quickly, he noticed. First he had been crying about his father kicking him out of the house, and then, he changed right in front of Will's eyes. He wasn't crying, there were no tears even close to falling. He looked placid, and very calm, just trying to help Will along. He moved smoothly, rubbing along Will's shoulders gently. He moved his mouth close to Will's ear, reassuring him along the way.

"It's ok, just breathe Will. You're fine," he said through clenched teeth, trying to keep his breath steady. The more he pushed forward, the less Will felt he would be ripped in half like a sheet of Velcro. He shut his eyes and got lost in all of the feelings. It actually wasn't as bad as with the woman at the party. Now that he could have done without. But he didn't want to think about that right now. All he could think about was Jack's hands gripped at his hips, pulling him deeper inside. He let out a breath that felt like he had been keeping inside for day; years even.

People said to him all of his life that this isn't what was natural. That there was a reason men couldn't have sex like they could with women, and that was because it wasn't right. But to him, nothing felt more right in the world, him and Jack, together. Literally inside of each other, sharing something that was so terrifying, and so painful and pleasurable at the same time, but still so natural. So right.

Jack's hands gripped his hips tightly, like he was afraid to let go. Like maybe through the middle of this, Will would shoot up and dash from the room, not taking a second to look back. He let go and moved forward again, rubbing Will's neck in comfort, tracing invisible patterns on his flushed skin. His breathing became more erratic, and he whimpered as they moved in an iambic rhythm. Will gasped out loud, the pain leaving him behind and bliss taking its place.

Will's eyes opened slightly, looking back to take a quick glance at Jack. The boy didn't look quite so much like a boy anymore. He looked determined and steady, and while his mouth hung open somewhat from the overtaking feelings; he seemed older. Much older than Will. And it was almost like when Will had looked outside his window those few times, seeing the pure animalistic lust surpassing his gaze as he looked at him.

"Mmm, Jack…" Will managed to moan, before gripping onto the sheets tighter and coming heatedly, eyes shut tight and whimpering into his pillow, burying his face in it. Contractions of pleasure rippled throughout his body, and with a final shudder, they took him over, rushing over his being until he gasped and fell, spent, on the sheets beneath him. Jack followed moments later, panting and groaning slightly into his ear.

They lay in silence, the only sounds being the erratic huffs of air from their mouths reverberating against the empty walls. Will pressed backwards, gathering Jack's arm in his hand and wrapping it around his waist, desperate for warmth. His eyes closed, and he whispered gently so that anyone else would have to strain to hear, "I…I love you."

Jack didn't say a word. He just pressed his forehead against the firm muscle of Will's arm, and let sleep take him over.

_To Be Continued…_

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End file.
